Shehbaz government expresses lack of confidence in Pakistan SC bench

Shahbaz Sharif-led Pakistani government has expressed its "lack of confidence" in the three-member Supreme Court bench and announced a boycott of the proceedings related to the Punjab Chief Minister's election after the court turned down their request for a full bench.

"Our lawyers recommended a (full court) bench but unfortunately, the bench, instead of reflecting and accepting our advice, rejected it," Pakistan Democratic Movement and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has said in Islamabad, Daily Times reported.

"Therefore, the allies of all parties want to give a clear stance that if (our request for a) full court bench is rejected then we, too, reject this decision of the court. We will not appear before this bench for this case and will boycott it," he has said in a press briefing.

"This government wants no institution to interfere in the work that impacts the administrative functioning. Otherwise, we will advise the Prime Minister and the parliament to legislate so that the public's trust in courts (could be restored)," he added.

All parties allied under the banner of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) reiterated their demand for the formation of a full court Supreme Court bench to hear a petition challenging the interpretation of Article 63-A of the Constitution by the Punjab Assembly Deputy Speaker during the Punjab chief minister elections, Daily Times reported.

The leaders of political parties under the PDM, including the movement's chief and Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Fazlur Rehman, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's Vice President Maryam Nawaz, Pakistan People's Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and others addressed a joint news conference in Islamabad.

According to PPP Chairman Bilawal, they cannot let three people decide the future of the country.

He demanded that a full court bench be formed to hear and decide on the petitions filed by all political parties so that everyone acknowledges court verdicts without any issue, Daily Times reported.

He added that unless this is done, the political situation in the country could spiral out of control.

The PPP chairman further said that PDM only wants that the institutions to be 'uncontroversial'. In contrast, Imran Khan had turned all the institutions into his tiger force to rule unchallenged, he pointed out.

"Your selected leader destroyed the economic and democratic framework of the country in his four-year tenure," he said further.

Bilawal maintained that the people are aware that Imran Khan drew out loans more than anyone ever did in the 70-year history of the nation which caused an immediate economic collapse.

Earlier in the press conference, Maryam Nawaz had expressed reservations about a slew of court verdicts since 2016 adding that contempt of court comes from within the very institution when judgments are contradictory.

She said there is a whole list of wrong verdicts, citing the opening of the Supreme Court registry at night to admit a petition of PTI against the election of Hamza Shahbaz as the chief minister of Punjab.

( With inputs from ANI )